Flags have been used for generations as a means for signalling, particularly in situations related to the sea. For example, they have been used to signal expected weather conditions, distress, country of origin, etc. One application involving: the use of flags is in connection with water skiing in which a skier is pulled by a boat. When the skier goes down in the water, a person in the boat raises a flag as the boat circles to signal to other boats that a skier is down in the water and that the other boats should be on the lookout to avoid colliding with the downed skier.
Various devices have been disclosed for hoisting, unfurling and securing flags to flagstaffs.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,183,886 to Moffitt is for a wire arrangement to attach the edge of the flag to a flagstaff.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,597,266 to Dearman is for a flag holder permanently mounted on the mud guard of an automobile. The flagstaff can be positioned at several fixed locations but is not designed for quick raising and lowering.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,139 to Sabin is for a flag unfurled from a sailing boom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,301 to Peters et al is for unfurling a flag and maintaining the flag in an unfurled state.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,202 to Visitacion is for a flagstaff which is constructed to prevent winding of the flag around the flagstaff.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,575,040 to Cram is for a flagstaff with telescoping members.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,962 to Kuchl and Falcone is for a combination flagpole and bracket wherein an end of the flagpole is hinged and capable of being fixed in several orientations by a wing screw insertable in a selected hole. The construction is not constructed for fast hoisting or lowering.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,240 is for a device for attaching a flag to a flagpole including a roller bearing mounting that turns so as to prevent the flag from winding around the flagstaff
Other attaching devices are disclosed such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,110,857 which discloses an arrangement for a vehicle curtain.
None of the disclosed devices provide the capability to quickly raise and lower the flag to any one of several orientations nor for quickly detaching the flagstaff and bracket for mounting such as when it is desired to stow the flag.